• State law requires local governments to annually review proposed Comprehensive Plan and associated zoning changes. Zoning changes that do not include a Comprehensive Plan designation change, informally called stand-alone zone changes, may be reviewed at any time.
• A 0.3-acre northwest corner portion of a larger 2.8-acre lot at 63rd Street and 72nd Avenue is proposed for rezone from R-18 to R-22, to match the existing zoning of the remainder larger portion of the lot.

City Council approved the same zone change from R-18 to R-22 on the directly abutting larger portion of the lot in 2021, but did not include the corner property, which was, at that time, a separate lot outside of the applicant’s control. No persons testified at the Council hearing for the prior rezone request.

The applicant was later able to reach agreement with the corner property owner to acquire the lot and combine it with the larger property. The applicant subsequently received site plan approval for a 76-unit apartment complex covering the full property (see page 16 herein).

If the rezone is approved, the applicant indicates they will seek a revision of the approved site plan to increase the total to 78 units. No changes to approved building footprints in the site plan are proposed by the applicant.

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the corner rezone at a December 13 public hearing at which there was no public testimony or commission questions. The Commission found it met rezone approval criteria of increased consistency with the Comprehensive and Strategic Plans by providing for additional housing options in an appropriate area at densities likely to increase housing options. The onset of the affordable housing crisis and the 2021 rezone of the larger remainder portion of the property represented changes in circumstances since the original zoning was established on the corner site.

• The proposed rezone would create consistent zoning between the corner portion and abutting larger portion of the lot.
• The proposed rezone would facilitate development of the corner area and allow for two additional multi-family apartment units on the full site in an area well served by transit and other public services.